Coarse grain varieties (with mineral grains large enough to see without a magnifying glass) are called phaneritic. Granite and gabbro are examples of phaneritic igneous rocks. Fine grained rocks, where the individual grains are too small to see, are called aphanitic.

What does it mean if a rock is coarse-grained?

(a) Said of a crystalline rock, and of its texture, in which the individual minerals are relatively large; specif. said of an igneous rock whose particles have an average diameter greater than 5 mm (0.2 in.).

How do you tell if a rock is coarse-grained?

Coarse-grained – The grains, or crystals, are big enough to tell what mineral each one is. The crystals are usually larger than 1 millimeter (larger than the point of a pen or pencil). They are commonly 1/8 to 1 inch long. The edges of the crystals interlock.